Tory candidate calls for fewer powers for Scotland

A former Tory parliamentary candidate in the 2011 election and current local council candidate has gone against Prime Minister David Cameron’s vague promises of more powers and called for ‘less devolution’ to be given to the Scottish Parliament.

Andrew Hardie, a Tory council candidate in Midlothian said he was “sick of hearing” about independence and more powers for Scotland.

Mr Hardie, who also edits Toryhoose – an online hub for Tory members in Scotland – wrote on his Twitter page:

“Sick of hearing about more devolution after the Independence referendum. Scotland has not used the powers it has, we need less devolution!”

Mr Hardie is standing in May’s local elections as a Conservative candidate in Midlothian. The council currently has no Conservative councillors. Mr Hardie stood for the council in the last election in 2007, when he came in a poor fourth position with 634 and was not elected.

His comments contradict both Mr Cameron’s promise to consider unspecified extra powers for Holyrood, and also Scottish party leader Ruth Davidson’s commitment to the Scotland bill as a “line in the sand” on powers for the Scottish parliament.

Commenting on Mr Hardie’s remarks, SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson said:

“What a mess the Tories in Scotland are in; first of all David Cameron’s half-baked offer of more devolved powers ‘destroyed’ Ruth Davidson’s credibility according to a former Tory MSP. Now we have Tory candidates calling for a reversal of powers at Holyrood.

“The Tories Party is at sixes and sevens on the constitution where the reactionary element change as fast as the weather and are completely out of sync with the party’s hierarchy in London.

“The anti-independence parties are falling out with each other and within themselves. Ruth Davidson needs to make clear who is in charge of her party, and what exactly they are offering the people of Scotland.

“Only the SNP will stand-up for the people of this country by putting forward positive policies which will move Scotland forward.”